Swimming shoe



(5.. NOESSKE SWIMMING SHOE July 19, 1927.

Filed June 2, 1926 I 6. Na ssKe /nvemar Patented July 19, 1927.

,GEOBG NOESSKE, OF BERLIN-STEGLITZ, 'GERMAJNY.

swnurme snon.

Application filed June 2, 1926, Serial No. 113,278, and in Germany June 9, 1925.

ferent angles to the horizontal. The outer fia under these circumstances bears against a xed stop on the frame, and each subsequent flap against the preceding one. As compared with the known swimming shoes with a float rockable on one side above the joint the invention has the advantage that the pressure surface below the joint diminishes the lever arm acting on the natural ankle joint to the smallest limits, while the -!transmission of pressure to the rigid frame is eflect'ed completely uniformly in all parts,

The arched floats subdivided by, valve flaps enhance the pressure effect when treading water, and facilitate the gliding of the float through the water when raising the shoe.

One constructional example of a swimming shoe constructedjaccording to the invention is illustrated in the accompanying 80 drawings, wherein I Figure 1 is a side elevation,

Figure 2 a longitudinal section on the line 11- 11 in Figure 1,

Figure 3 a plan view, and Figure 4 an enlarged cross section through the left-hand float. The swimming shoe shown consists according to the right-hand half of Figures 1 to 3 of splints or leg bars ,1, which can besecured in any convenient manner to the legs, and are preferably made of rigid material.

'. The under part 3 of the shoe is pivoted at 2 on each side with an inflexible joint in such a way that it can be rocked in the direction of the arrow '4 in Fi ure 1. To the under part 3, which is rovi ed with bridge ieces 5 extending un er the sole and.- the I eel in the form a U, a rather wide float- 7 is pivoted at 6 outside and a narrower float 7 inside. The floats 7 are held in a known manner by springs 8 inv the outstretched position illustrated, and are prevented from stretching further by chains or cords 9,

which engage with outer mar s at 10, and I8 are hooked into the foot mem r 3, 5 at 11. When the swimmer draws in his foot, the

'foot floats 7' move downwards owing to the water pressure against the pressure of the springs again, whereupon the water pressure acts in the reverse direction and presses the floats into the extended position again, with the assistance of the springs 8. By the joints 2 arran'ged at right angles to the joints 6 and 6' the swimmer can im art to the floats, in relation to the longitu inal direction, a diflerent ush-and-pull position, and the itsel remains,- notwithstanding the rigid swimming shoe which is advantageous for the swimming action, movable and flexible, which is very important for the purpose of obviating the cramp that frequently occurs in swimmmg.

Each'of the fioats 7 consists,'in the lefthand half of Figures 2, 3 and 4, of a series of float elements 7, which are rockable in a vertical direction about hin es 6, each of theinner float members 7 a ways bearing wi h sfree margin. against'the adjacent? hinge from below, .so that the separate parts of the float always have difl'erent inclinations. to. the horizontal. The .outer float bears. in the working position against a special stop 7 The entire float may be fixedly connected with the under part 3, or may be secured thereto b a hinge in the longitudinal direction. n this case the u ward movement of the float as a, whole is limited by. cords or belts 9.

During the upward movement of the foot the comparatively small float members 7 are directly pressed downwards by the water pressure, and yield much more quickly than a large float with a pressure plate consisting of one piece, so that the wearer of the swimming shoe hardly becomes aware of the 1i ht passage of the shoe through the water. owwhen he presses the shoe downwards again the small floats likewise clos'e again much more easily and instantly restore an uninterrupted pressure surface, so that here again the contemplated pressure action occurs much more prompt and an idle part of the down stroke of the shoe is avoided, this result being specially assisted by the arched arrangement of the float members.

What I claim 1s:.- 1. A swimming shoe, comprising a rigid leg frame jointed at the level of the wearers angle, and arched valve floats hinged to said leg frame below the ankle joint.

2'. A swimming shoe, comprising a rigid 1e frame jointed at the level of the wearers an le, and an arched valve float hinged to each side of said leg frame below the ankle joint, the inner float being narrower than the outer float. I

3. A swimming shoe,,comprising a rigid leg frame jointed at the level of the wearers ankle, and an arched valve float hinged to said le frame below the ankle joint, said valve oat comprising a plurality of flaps arranged at different inclinations to the horizontal.

4. A swimming shoe, comprising. a rigid leg frame jointed at the level of the wearers ankle, an arched valve float hinged to each side of said leg frame below the ankle joint, the inner float being narrower than the outer float, and said outer float comprising a plurality of flaps arranged at different inclinations to the horizontal.

side of said leg frame below the ankle joint,

the inner float being narrower than the outer float, said outer float comprising a lurality of flaps arranged at different inc inations to the horizontal, and a fixed abutment to limit the oscillation of the outermost of said In testimony whereof have signed my name to this specification. A

GEORG NoEss E. 

